Robert Heaps was my GGG Grandfather. At the moment, I know very little about him, apart from the information I have gathered from the UK Census Records. (These can be accessed online at http://www.ancestry.co.uk) I am searching for a birth certificate, but have had no luck so far. His birth should be listed in the Parish & Probate records for Lancashire, so I'll keep at it until I find him. (Update 08/10/05 - Still looking)
I do know that he was born in Walton-le-Dale. This is stated on the census records. The IGI record that I have found of his birth states that his father was John Heaps of Park Lane. I need to check that there was a Park Lane is in Walton-le-Dale.
I am almost certain (have sent for the marriage certificate and will confirm this) that he married Mary Long in the jul/aug/sep quarter of 1838. I know nothing at all about Mary Long, and am also searching for her Birth record.
Oct 2005 - Have received the marriage certificate, and it confirms what I had thought. Yahoo!
Marriage - 1838
Robert Heaps married Mary Long on the 29th September 1838. They were married in the Parish Church, Preston. The certificate states that he is 20, and she is 19 (that confirms his birth year as 1818) His profession is listed as a Carder, living in Park Lane at the time of the marriage, and his father is listed as John Heaps (my GGGG Grandfather), whose profession is a Labourer (we come from hardy stock !)
Mary Long, 19 on the Marriage certificate, is noted as living at Princes Street, occupation - a Drawer, and her father name is John Long (another GGGG Grandfather). Wonderful.
Witnesses to the marriage were Mary Ann Clayton and John Unsworth. Interestingly, Robert could sign his name, but Mary could not - she made her mark with a cross. Neither witness could sign their names.
1841 Census
I have a bit of a puzzle finding Robert & wife Mary in the 1841 census. I have found his mother Jane, in Mason Street Preston, with 2 young women. One of them is Mary (20), and the other is Lucy (15). Are these both Jane's daughters ? Or is one of them Mary, wife to Robert. I almost think it is because I have found a Robert Heaps (the only one that fits the age etc.) at The Elephant in Adlington - a pub ! So...was he out at the pub, and the lasses were at home when the Census Numerators called around ? I will research The Elephant. So many mysteries, and most we will never find the answer to.
1851 Census
These records have just come on-line !!! (Oct 2005)
The 1851 census lists Robert and family as living at 7 Mason Street, Preston. He had been married for 13 years by this time.
It reads as follows:-
Robert Heaps Head 33 Factory Porter
Mary Heaps Wife 31
Jane Heaps Daughter 7 Scholar
Arthur Edwin Heaps Son 1
Jane Heaps Mother 68 Housekeeper
This has now given me the name of my GGGG Grandmother - Jane. So, Robert's father, John Heaps married Jane. That's another link back to the past. The more detail you have, the easier it it to research !
A few thoughts about this census record - they had been married 13 years, and yet their eldest child (in the house on the night of the census) is only 7 years old. Did they have other children who had died, or were they out lodging somewhere ? I find it hard to believe that they were married for 6 years before having any children. Also, they had Jane and then 7 years later, Arthur Edwin was born. Where there other children in between ? I should be able to follow this up on the 1841 census. I've asked all my children to club together to get it for me for Christmas. It is a set of CD's available from http://www.genealogysupplies.co.uk
1861 Census
The 1861 Census records Robert as living at 39 Green Street, Preston. He is said to be 43 years of age, a labourer, who was born in Walton-le-dale.
He is married to Mary, aged 42, born in ****in Sands. I can't read the entry properly. Anyone with any ideas, please let me know. (Update - on the 1851 census she is recorded as being born in Kellet. So I'm assuming the word I can't read above is Bolton. It's almost the same area. If anyone wants to corrct me, please do !!) She is listed as a Housekeeper.
At that time, 1861, they have 5 children living at home (according to the Census, all of them were born in Preston). They would have been married 23 years by this time.
Jane, aged 17, a Cotton Weaver
Arthur Edwin, aged 11, a scholar
Robert, aged 8, a scholar (my GG grandfather)
Lucy Ann, aged 4, a scholar and
Eliza, aged 3 months
Robert's mother, Jane Heaps, is no longer listed as being with them. Mind you, she was 68 at the time of the 1851 census, so we can only assume that she died between 1851 and 1861. It should be easy enough to track down her death certificate (I'll start looking !)
Robert, the 3rd child listed is my GG Grandfather, and it is from HIS marriage certificate that I have established that Robert Snr. (his father) was dead by 1870, as he is listed as deceased on the certificate. So he died between the years 1961 and 1870 - 43 to 53 years of age - a young man by our standards.
1871 Census
There is no trace of Robert or Mary in the 1871 census. I believe that they both died between 1861 and 1871. As I mentioned above, Robert Snr. is recorded as deceased on Robert Jnr.'s marriage certificate in 1870. Also, in the 1871 census, Robert Junior (then aged 19) had all his brothers and sisters living with him - no sign of their parents. What happened to them both ? I need to find their death certificates - which is a mammoth task. There are SO many Robert and Mary Heaps who died during those years. I'll have to give it some logical thought - but I won't stop looking until all the pieces of the puzzle are in place !
That is practically all I know about my GGG Grandfather, Robert Heaps. If anyone out there has any information they can help me with, or access to the 1841 Lancashire Census, I would be very grateful to hear from you. I'll add more to this page when I learn more !
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